SEATTLE – Anthony Hernandez admits things got a little hairy in the lead-up to UFC Fight Night 252.
While he still gutted out a unanimous decision win over Brendan Allen in Saturday’s co-main event at Climate Pledge Arena, Hernandez (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) said antibiotics made his life hell in the days prior – including Friday’s weigh-in day when he was last to hit the scales.
“Let’s just say I got off amoxicillin Friday. I felt like sh*t, and I’m not going to lie: I messed up my ribs two weeks ago. My ribs were f*cked before. It was just thank God for the (UFC Performance Institute). They were here and they helped me every f*cking day. We got it to be good enough for the fight and went out there and made it happen. … Dude, the f*cking pills. The amoxicillin was holding weight. I talked to the PI people, too, and they said the same thing. When you’re on antibiotics it’s very hard to cut weight. So when my body was trying to recover, I’m trying to deplete it. It was just a nightmare, but I’m pretty f*cking tough between the ears and made it happen.
“… Yeah, that was f*cking sketchy, man. I was freaking out for a second. I’m not going to lie. But I f*cking managed to do it. I had to weigh in naked, but it is what it is. I was on antibiotics. Everything that could’ve went wrong, went wrong, and we still managed to gangster it out. It is what it is.”
The win for Hernandez was his seventh in a row and the consensus biggest of his career, beating the No. 9 UFC-ranked middleweight in Allen (24-7 MMA, 12-4 UFC). He continues to inch closer to title contention. While he’s never one to call for specific names, Hernandez made it known he wants someone in the top five who will propel him toward the title.
“It’s a blessing, but at the same time, I’m still not happy because the only thing I want is the damn belt,” Hernandez said. “All this other sh*t doesn’t really matter to me. It’s like, all right, cool: We did it. But I expected to do this. It’s just like I was telling the coaches: It’s back to work on Monday. I’ll be in the gym.
“… Honestly, I don’t really give a f*ck (who I fight next). Give me somebody who is going to prove that I’m ready for a title shot. Anyone from (No.) 5 up, I’d love to fight.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
